End roll adjustment



P 1953 E. T. PTETERSON 2,65flfl5fi END ROLL ADJUSTMENT Filed April 10,1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JET-1' KNVENTOR Sept. 15, 1953 END ROLL ADJUSTMENTFiled April 10, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 j iqz, 44

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END ROLL ADJUSTMENT Filed April 10, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IINVENTORPatented Sept. 15, 1953 END ROLL ADJUSTMENT Edward T. Peterson, Reading,Pa., assignor to Birdsboro Steel Foundry and Machine Company, Birdsboro,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 10, 1948, SerialNo. 20,287

'5 Claims.

The present invention relates to rolling mills and particularly to axialend adjustment or rolling mill rolls.

A purpose of the invention is to produce an axial end adjustment for arolling mill roll which is less complicated, less likely to requiremaintenance, more positve and simpler both in design and constructionthan those of the prior art.

A further purpose is to avoid the necessity for using numerous levers ofhigh mechanical advantage which are likely to provide uneven adjustmenton the two sides under conditions of wear.

A further purpose is to support the axial adjusting parts so as to avoidthe likelihood of chattering, whipping, or producing non-uniformstresses in the adjusting parts.

A further purpose is to cut down the time required for roll adjustment,and permit adjustment to be made with very high accuracy, and maintainedthrough a long period of service.

A further purpose is to adjust the thrust bearing by a yoke containedand preferably guided in a suitable horizontal slot in a bracketsurrounding the thrust bearing, the yoke preferably engaging oppositeflanges on the thrust bearing between hook ends on arms of the yoke andadjusting screws on the arms.

A further purpose is to provide a recess in the bracket for verticaladjustment of the thrust bearing.

A further purpose is to adjust the yoke axially by screw mechanismconnecting with the bracket.

A further purpose is to limit motion of the chuck by stops on thebracket.

A further purpose is to interconnect the thrust bearing housing and thechuck by a dog and a cooperating vertical guideway.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerousembodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the forms shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in vertical section of a rollingmill to which my invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a right end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of Figure 4 on the line 33.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section of Figure 2 on the line 44.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlargement of Fi ure 2.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

In rolling mills particularly employing grooved rolls, it is importantto secure accurate adjustment of the axial position of the rolls, notonly as to the initial position but also as to any axial take-up whichmay be employed to compensate for wear. It has therefore become commonto employ adjusting devices at the ends of one or more of the rolls, topermit accurate setting of the axial position. Many such adjustingdevices employed in the prior art have presented the difiiculty of unduecomplexity, making them not only expensive to manufacture, but likely towear and require frequent maintenance. In a popular form of such priorart mechanisms, levers of high mechanical advantage have been used whichare likely to change their settings with wear, and which require tediousduplicate adjustments on two sides to avoid applying uneven stresses tothe end of the roll.

In accordance with the present invention, roll end adjustments areconsiderably cheapened and simplified, while at the same time a verysturdy construction is obtained which is not likely to requiremaintenance and which can be adjusted in a very minimum of time. Maximumsupport and guidance is given to the adjusting parts and they are notlikely to chatter or whip as in some prior art constructions. The axialadjusting mechanism is quite flexible and permits maximum freedom invertical adjustment without removal of the axial adjustment.

It will be evident of course that the invention may be applicable to anyof the conventional types of mills, such as two-high, three-high,fourhigh, etc., single pass or reversing, and that in any such mill itmay be applied to one, more or all of the rolls.

For simplicity I illustrate a two-high mill 25 having a frame 2|comprising a base 22, supported on a bed 23 and mounting a pair ofuprights 24 at one end and a pair of uprights 25 at the other end spacedto provide at each end a central vertical guideway 26 and surmountedbetween each pair of uprights at each end by a cap 21 interconnectedwith the uprights by pins 28 and wedges 29.

The general features of construction form part of the subject matter ofmy patent application Serial No. 750,996, filed May 28, 1947, and nowPatent No. 2,541,279, granted February 13, 1951, for Rolling Mill HavingRemovable Chucks.

Extending across each pair of uprights and through the guideway 26spaced at each end is a lower horizontal rolling mill roll 30 which maybe grooved or smooth, as well known. The lower rolling mill rollcooperates with an upper rolling mill roll 31 having a hub 32. Thedetail of the interrelation of the chucks or journals is not importantto the present invention, and accordingly one type of chuck support willbe described. The lower roll is j ournaled at each end in a lower chuck33 and is held down by an upper chuck 34 whose bearing bronze is seen at35.

The upper roll has an upper chuck 33 whose bearing bronze is seen at 3'!and is held up by a lower chuck 38 whose bronze is seen at 35.

The upward pressure against the upper roll manner well known in the art,here consistingv of a spiral spring 49 extending across in the spacebetween these chucks. The upper roll lower chuck and the lower rollupper chuck are suitably interconnected as by weights 4!. Expansion ofthe spring and the wedges is limited by a tension rod i I Scale guards42 (only one of which is shown) are provided for each roll.

The chucks at their lateral edges adjoining the uprights have flatguided surfaces 43 which move vertically in the guideways 26 and alsoslide axially with the rolls in such guideways.

Holddown pressure on the upper roll upper chuck is provided by adjustingscrews l l extending through the caps and bringing pressure on breakerblocks 45 engaging the upper roll upper chucks.

The axial adjusting mechanisms, which are provided at the ends of eachroll opposite to the drive connections 46, are shown at i'l. While suchadjustments are here provided for both rolls, it will be evident that inmany cases it will be sufficient to provide such adjustment on less thanall of the rolls, for example only one in a two-high mill.

Beyond the roll neck at the adjustment ends thrust-bearing-engagingprojections 68 are provided around which are located thrust bearingsupporting sleeves 19, ball thrust bearing inner races 50, thrustbearing balls 5 l, ball thrust bearing outer races 52 and outer housings53, surrounding one another. The sleeves 49 are extended at the endtoward the roll neck to carry dirt, scale and water fiingers 54cooperating with flanges 55 closing the ends of the housing 53 andhaving clearance from the dirt, scale and water flingers 54. Oil sealsare provided at 55'. The thrust bearing inner races are held in positionby split nuts 58 keyed at 5'1 on end portions 53 on the rolls, andcooperating with bearing retainer nuts 59 locked by set screws 6G. Theouter end of the bearing housing is closed by cap 52 At opposite radialpositions, preferably at opposite sides horizontally, on the collars 53are projecting flanges 6i extending radially and carrying on each facehard wear members 82. Spanning each pair of uprights and surroundingeach thrust bearing is provided a bracket 63 which engages on eachupright and i connected thereto by bolts and nuts 6% and has a centralvertical interior recess 65 in which the thrust bearing and housing arecontained.

The bracket is conveniently made of two separate bracketportions 65 and65 spaced one above another to provide a substantially horizontal slot61 extending from one side to the other of the bracket, and joined atthe outer end by a bridge plate 68 bolted to the upper and lower bracketportions at 68.

- through-which passes a stud 16 threaded into the center of the arm 10at approximately the axis and, having on opposite sides of the plate,adjusting nuts 11 and 18. Access openings 19 in upper and lower bracketportions permit contact with the inner adjusting nut.

The axial motion of the chucks outwardly in the guideways 26 is limitedby stop lugs at the base of the bracket which prevent excessive outwardmotion. Engagement is shown in dot-anddash lines in Figure 3.

The rotation of thrust bearing housing and flanges 6| is prevented by avertical guideway ill on the outer face of the upper roll upper chuck,which receives and guides a dog 82 on the inner face of the flange 55united to the housing It will be noted that the interconnection at 8!and 82 permits vertical adjustment of the thrust bearing.

In operation, the mill will be assembled as shown, and the roll spacingadjusted by adjustment of holddown 44. If considerable adjustment is tobe made, the locking screws 13 may be maintained loose to permit thethrust bearing on the end of the roll to move vertically as required.During the vertical adjustment the dog 32 moves in the guideway 8|, sothat the thrust bearing housing does not rotate.

When the requisite vertical adjustment has been completed, if thelocking screws 73 have been loose they are tightened, moving the flangesEH into contact with the hook ends l2 on the adjustment yoke, andgripping the flanges between the hook ends and the locking screws ateach side of the thrust bearing.

In this position the roll is locked axially to the adjusting yoke 10,and the adjusting yoke is guided laterally by the slot 67. The exactdesired axial adjustment is then obtained by loosening the nuts I? andT8 and adjusting one or the other to move the stud, the adjusting yokeand the thrust bearing and roll in the desired direction axially, afterwhich the final adjustment is secured by locking the nuts 1'! and 78.

It will 'be evident that the roll end adjustment of the invention isvery desirably free from play, and can be accomplished with considerableaccuracy.

In the preferred embodiment as shown the adjustment of the axialposition is provided at one end only of a given roll, the opposite endbeing permitted to float to allow for contraction and expansionlongitudinally.

In View of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part 02 the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope ofmy claims.

Having thus described my invention what I Patent is:

1. In a rolling mill, a frame having vertical uideways, a pair ofcooperating rolls extending generally horizontally, chucks mounted inthe frame, providing journal support for the rolls, and one set of whichis guided for vertical and horizontal endwise movement in the guideways,a bracket mounted on the frame, extending over one end of that rollwhich is mounted on the chucks guided in the guideways, verticallyrecessed in line with the end of the roll beyond the chuck at that endof the roll and generally horizontally slotted in line with the roll, athrust bearing on the roll end beyond the chuck, vertically adjustablein the recess of the bracket with vertical adjustment of the chuck,flanges on the opposite sides of the thrust bearing in line with theslot, a yoke in the slot and guided on the Walls of the slot having armsextending around the thrust bearing and around the flanges and havinghooked ends engaging behind each flange, locking screws on the armsengaging the front of each flange and permitting vertical adjustment ofth flanges, adjusting screw mechanism extending axially beyond the rollin general line with the center of the roll engaging the center of theyoke and the bracket and an interconnecting dog and cooperating verticalguideways between the thrust bearing and one of the chucks.

2. A rolling mill adjustment comprising a frame, rolls mounted thereon,a bracket mounted on the frame extending over one end of one of therolls, slotted in a direction lengthwise of the roll and in planeparallel with the roll axis and having spaces above and below the end ofthe roll, a thrust bearing on the roll end, the spaces in the bracketbeing vertical and in line with the thrust bearing to permit verticalmovement of the thrust bearing inside the bracket, flanges extendingfrom the opposite lateral positions on the thrust bearing in line withthe slot, a yoke in the slot of the bracket and guided thereon havingyoke arms extending around the thrust bearing and releasably engagingopposite sides of the flanges to permit vertical adjustment of theflanges and thrust bearing with respect to the yoke, and adjustmentmeans to axially position the yoke with respect to the bracket.

3. A rolling mill adjustment comprising a frame, rolls mounted thereon,a bracket mounted on the frame, extending over one end of one of therolls, slotted in a direction lengthwise of the roll and in a planeparallel with the roll axis, and having spaces above and below, verticaland in line with the end of the roll, a thrust bearing on the roll end,the spaces being vertical and in line with the thrust bearing to permitvertical adjustment of the thrust bearing, flanges extending fromopposite sides of the thrust bearing in line with the slot, a yoke inthe slot and guided thereon having arms extending around the thrustbearing and hook ends engaging around behind each flange, locking screwson the arms engaging the front of each flange and releasable to permitvertical adjustment of the flanges and thrust bearing with respect tothe yoke and adjusting screw means extending axially beyond the roll ingeneral line with the center of the roll engaging the center of the yokeand the bracket.

4. A rolling mill adjustment comprising frame having vertical guideways,rolls mounted in the frame and one of which is vertically adjustable inthe guideways, a bracket mounted on the frame, extending over one end ofthe rails, having vertical spaces above and below in line with the endof the roll and generally horiaontally slotted in line with the roll, athrust bearing on the roll end, the vertical spaces being in line withthe thrust bearing to permit vertical movement of the thrust bearing inthe spaces, the thrust bearing being vertically adjustable with theroll, flanges on the opposite sides of the thrust bearing in line withthe slot, a yoke in the slot and guided on the walls of the slot, havingarms extending around the thrust bearing and around the flanges andhaving hooked ends engaging behind each flange, locking screws on thearms engaging the front of each flange and when loosened permittingvertical adjustment of the flanges in the spaces of the bracket, andadjusting screw means extending axially beyond the roll in general linewith the roll, engaging the center of the yoke and the bracket.

5. A rolling mill adjustment comprising a frame having verticalguideways, rolls mounted thereon and one of which is vertically andhoriz l y justable in the guideways, a bracket mounted on the frame,extending over one end of that roll which is adjustable in theguideways, having a vertical space in a direction lengthwise of the endof the roll above and below the end of the roll and generallyhorizontally slotted in line with the roll, a thrust bearing surroundingthe end of the roll adjoining the bracket, vertically adjustable in thevertical space of the bracket with vertical adjustment of the roll, ayoke guided in the slot of the bracket and having yoke arms extendingaround the thrust bearing engaging opposite sides of the thrust bearing,connections between the yoke arms and the thrust bearing permittingvertical adjustment of the thrust bearing in the space of the bracketwhile the yoke retains the same vertical position and adjustment meansto axially position the yoke with respect to the bracket.

EDWARD T. PETERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,025,078 Vassen Apr. 30, 1912 1,839,497 Peterson Jan. 5, 19322,175,783 Rose Oct. 10, 1939 2,178,628 Duda Nov. 7, 1939 2,184,463Morgan Dec. 26, 1939 2,335,800 Sheperdson et a1. Nov. 30, 1943

